A User-Friendly SAP?

Software Magazine, Oct, 1998 by Rick Whiting

Prettier software. More user training. The opportunity to influence the direction of R/3 development. A free car. What else could an ERP software customer ask for?

SAP is trying to recast itself as a kinder, gentler software company, judging by last month's Sapphire user conference in Los Angeles. Executives from SAPAG and its SAP America Inc. subsidiary unveiled a series of initiatives to make it easier to buy, install, and use SAP's R/3 enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. About 15,000 SAP customers were present for the four-day event.

R/3 has never enjoyed a reputation for being easy to implement or use. While that has not hindered sales of R/3 to Fortune 500-class customers, SAP--like other ERP software vendors--is trying to expand sales to smaller "mid-market" companies. Those customers will need more hand-holding support and software that is easier to install and operate.

New initiatives included:

* A package of end-user training course materials, computer-based tools, and customer assistance services for R/3 training. An SAP survey of 100-plus customers found that many underestimate the need for end-user training--afact acknowledged by a number of IS managers who gave presentations on the topic at the conference.

* Expanded services through SAP's "TeamSAP" third-party partner program, including enhancements to the AcceleratedSAP (ASAP) implementation methodology and project quality review services.

* The "EnjoySAP" effort to improve the design of R/3 to make the software easier to learn and use.

As part of EnjoySAP,SAP is asking R/3 users to provide their own ideas for how to improve the software. "Send us proposals of what we can do better," SAP AG co-chairman Hasso Plattner pleaded in his keynote address. In l999 a panel of SAP software designers, product developers, and third-party experts will select the best ideas from the U.S., European, and Asian Sapphire conferences: The winning entry from each conference will be awarded a new Volkswagen Beetle.